I discounted _bellissima_ because the color (brown) didn't match the plate in Pearson, Knisley, and Kazilek, but I see that in the text they say that individuals are more greenish in southern Oregon. Don't know why they chose to illustrate a form that is atypical through most of the species' range.

Thanks,
Terry

Due to space considerations (and not wanting to overwhelm people) the authors of that book had to choose a few generally representative photos for each species. It is a field guide so there are certainly times when a specimen won't look just like the pictures (or sometimes look very different!). The key is often the way to go when you have a specimen in hand and you're not sure which one.

Your actual color perceptions may vary. Tiger beetles can often differ in color depending on the angle that you view them. The metallic colors are structurally derived from microscopic pits that create interference patterns that cancel out certain wavelengths. It doesn't take much to get a different color produced in this way.

Much more important than the color of a tiger beetle is the overall shape and form (pretty solid), the precise pattern of pale maculations (somewhat variable), and the location of setae (pretty solid, but subject to wear). If you look critically at the shape of the humeral lunule on your beetle vs. repanda, you may notice the smoother C-shape of repanda, whereas your beetle's curves, then straightens. Also, the middle band on bellissima is much shallower than repanda, which has more noticeable steps. Hope this helps.

Ben's right... color is the most overrated character in identifying tiger beetles! There certainly are cases where it works well, but in general you should pay more attention to the characters Ben discusses. Even markings can be misleading in aberrant individuals or for some very variable species. Body shapes/proportions, location and type of setae (hairs) and ecology/geography are typically a lot more reliable.

All excellent points. Still, if it was me, I'd illustrate the typical form that most people are likely to encounter, accompanied by a note about the variant form. You can see green highlights in the eyes and thorax in some of my photos, but the base color is clearly brown in all.

Terry

Of course they did intend to illustrate the typical form that most people are likely to encounter. This is a limitation of a field guide.... sometimes there are multiple forms for each species (and 'subspecies') that could be commonly encountered and they just can't include all (especially if there is every possible intergrade of color and pattern as well), or the book would be 3 times as large! It's a tradeoff. Yes, your beetle is clearly brown and I find the brown form to be more common as well, so if I had made the book I would have chosen one more like yours for the guide.